Log loader or the like



July 16, 1957 Y J s PILCH 2,799,412

LOG LOADER OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 22, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 i i 1 a llr/INVENTOR.

ff-am? A TTOPNE Y J ly 16, 1957 J. s. PILCH 2,799,412

LOG LOADER OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 22, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN s. P\L CH A TTOF/VEX J. S. PILCH LOG LOADER OR THE LIKE July 16,1957

I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 22, 1954 H W m 5 w m n WP T a A j v N H w Y W w m w w 6. B ll J P PM 3m |l+ll|l||.|.| w 4 a o 5 w i 4 H7 w 2,799,412 LOG LOADER Omar LIKE John S. Pileh, Ware, Mass. ApplicationDecember 22, 1954; Serial'No: 476,929 4"Clain'is. (Cl. 214- 147)" Ah-oth'er jobject' of the invention i's to provide an a'pp'a United States PatfitC mars of: the type set forth wherein the same hydraulic means as'i's employed for" actuating the'platfornio'r'supporf automatically and simultaneously actuat'es' the upper tong or clamping; member. A g 1 Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description riection' with the accompanying drawings It will beuilderstood that changes may be made iii the details of construction and;arrangement ofparts shown and described without departing from" the spirit of the invention as set forth in the accompanying-claims as the preferred form has been given by way of illustration only.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a side view of a tractor mounted platform which can be employed in constructing the loading apparatus of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the log loading apparatus of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the operation of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view generally similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating another step in the operation of the device;

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout, there is shown in Fig. 1 a tractor mounted platform or fork which can be utilized in forming the log loading apparatus of the present invention.

In Fig. 1 there is shown the tractor having the engine 1, seat 2 for the operator and tracks 3. Adjacent the opposite sides of the tractor are the spaced supports 4 to which is secured the control valve 5 for the hydraulic system and which valve is adapted to be controlled by the operator by controlling operating levers 6.

The control valve 5 is adapted to receive fluid under pressure from hydraulic pump 7 through lines 8 and 9.

Pivotally connected to each of the upright supports 4 is an arm 10 and to the forward or outer ends of the arms 1t are pivotally connected the lugs 10a on the platform Whichconsists of the spaced upright supports 11 and the supporting platform or fork 12.

The lugs 10a are pivotally connected to the forward ends of arms 10 at 13. The arms 10 are adapted to be taken in conice raised or loWeredbY means"ofY'cyIinders-ZS' and'rams 29 which are pivotallyconnected to the supports 4 at'30 and to the arms 10 at 31. I I

The platform is" adapted to be pivoted about arms. 10 by rrieans'of'cylinders'14-andrams 15. Cylinder 14 is pivotally'connected at-"14a to upright supports 4 above the pivotal connection of arr'nsilfi and rams 15 connected at 15a to links 32 which in turn are pivotally connected at 33 tolu'gs 34 on the uprights 11.

Thelinks-SZ areconnected to arms 10 by means of spaced links 35 and 36 which are pivotally connected at one endto links 32' and at their opposite ends to lugs 37 on thelower side of arms 10.

In the logloading apparatus ofthe presentinve'ntion the cylinders" 14 are pivotally connected at-16 16a on the upper side of arms 10 and rams 15 are pivotally connected at 27 'to' links 38 which are pivotally connected at 39to lugs 54 and link 26 is alsopivotally'connected to link 38at'27and to lugs 37 at 28.

he'forwa'rd ends" of arms 10 are connected by the cross member 40; I I v, In forming thelog loading' deviceof the present inver'ition; the" support 20.is provided between the arms10 with its ends 2031''se'cu'redion p'ivots'13 and said'ends 20a have theproje'cting lugs 20b whichare positioned beneath member' 40' for locking member 20 in fixed relation to arms 10. K H

The 'ton'gorclampin'g member 17 is pivotally connected tomerr'rber' 20atj pivot 21 and is adapted to extend outwardly over fork 1 2 and t'ocooperate with fork 12 by clamping logs; or the like, on the fork or releasing such clamping action" depending upon the pivotal movement Foreffecting' such movement of tongo'r' clamp 17 there isp vid'e'd a link 18whicli ispivotallyiconnected at 2'4 't6a lu'g 24ki oh tlie-support 11 and link 18 'i's pivotally co'r'iriect'ed td tong 17 5: 19.- It will benotetl that a plu rality of pivot points 19a may be provided, either of which may be employed for pivotal connection 19 and which are adapted to adjust the position of tong 17.

It will be seen that with the support 20 in, fixed relation to arms 10 and with the tong 17 pivotally connected thereto and with link 18 pivotally connected at one end to tong 17 and its opposite end to t-ong 24a, that movement of fork 12 in a downward direction for unloading, as shown in Fig. 4, will automatically pivot tong 17 away from the fork and the logs thereon and thereby automatically release the clamping action of the tongs 17 on the logs.

It will be seen from Fig. 3 that movement of fork 12 in a direction toward tong 17 will, because of the movement of lug 24a in the opposite direction, automatically effect pivotal movement of tong 17 about pivot 21 toward logs A and fork 12 whereby said tong is moved into clamping engagement with the logs A on fork 12.

In operation, the apparatus is set in the position shown in Fig. 2, namely, with the fork 12 on the ground and the device is then moved toward the logs A whereby the fork 12 will be pushed beneath the logs. By actuating cylinder 14 and ram 15, the fork 12 is then pivoted upward as shown in Fig. 3, which automatically pivots tong 17 into clamping engagement with the logs A to retain the logs on the fork 12. By cylinder 28 and ram 29 the arms are then raised which raises the logs from the ground and then by movement of the tractor the logs can be moved to loading position at which time the pivoting of fork 12 by cylinder 14 and ram 15 to unloading position, as shown in Fig. 4, effects automatic disengagement of tong 17 from the logs and with the fork inclined downwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, the logs will, when released by the tong 17, drop from the fork 12.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided are pivotallyto lugs v supportrigidly connected to new and improved means for obtaining all of the objects and advantages of the invention.

I claim: 1.;In a device ofthe character described, alpair of push arms adapted to be pivotally. connected to a tractor,

a platform pivotally connected to said push arms adjacent the free ends thereof, hydraulic means for pivoting said platform relative to .said push arms, 'said'platform comprising a forwardly extending fork and anupright support rigidly connected to said fork, a clamping member for retaining material 'on said platform, a link pivotally connected to said platform and to said clamping member, and a spanning support pivotally connected adjacent its ends to'said push arms and connected intermediate its ends to said clamping member whereby pivoting of said platform upwardly for loading will urge said clamping member toward said platform and pivoting of. said platform downwardly for unloading will pivot said clamping member upwardly.

2. In a device of the character described, a pair of push arms adapted to be pivotally connected to a tractor, a platform pivotally connected to said push arms adjacent thefree ends thereof, hydraulic means for pivoting said platform relative to said push arms, said platform comprising a forwardly extending fork and an upright said fork','a clamping member for retaining material on said platform, a link pivotally connected to said platform and ,to said clamping member, and a substantially inverted U shaped spanning support pivotally connected adjacent its ends to said push arms and connected intermediate its ends to said clamp ing member whereby pivoting of said platform upwardly for loading will urge said clamping member toward said platform and pivoting of said platform downwardly for unloading will pivot said clamping member upwardly,

3. In a device of the character described, a pair of push, arms adapted to be pivotally connected to a tractor, a platform pivotally connected to said push arms adjacent the free' ends thereof, hydraulic means for pivoting said platform relative to saidpush arms, a link connecting said hydraulic means and said platform, said platform comprising a forwardly extending fork and an upright support rigidly connected to said fork, a clamping member for retaining material on said platform, a link pivotally connected to said platform and to said clamping member, and a spanning support pivotally connected adjacent its ends to said push arms and connected intermediate its ends to said clamping member whereby pivoting of said platform upwardly for loading will urge said clamping member toward said platform and pivoting of said platform downwardly for unloading will pivot said clamping member upwardly.

4. In a device of the character described, a pair of push arms adapted to be pivotally connected to a tractor, a platform pivotally connected to said push arms adjacent the free ends thereof, hydraulic means for pivoting said platform relative to said push arms, a link connecting said hydraulic means and said platform and a pivotable lever pivotally connected adjacent its opposite ends to said link connecting the hydraulic means and the platform and to said push arms, said platform comprising a forwardly extending fork and an upright support rigidly connected to said fork, a clamping member for retaining material on said platform, a link pivotally connected to said platform and to said clamping member, and a spanning support pivotally connected adjacent its ends to said push arms and connected intermediate its ends to said clamping member whereby pivoting of said platform upwardly for loading will urge said clamping member toward said platform and pivoting of said platform downwardly for unloading will pivot said clamping member upwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,773,478 Dovel Aug. 19, 1930 2,418,251 Drott Apr. 1, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,086,287 A France Aug. 11, 1954 

